Installation and configuration of XIA MCA

Installation of XIA devices is common to the 3 XIA MCA electronics:

  • xmap
  • mercury
  • falconx

Devices are plugged in a windows (10 pro 64 bits) computer.

BLISS must be installed on the windows PC to be able to run a BLISS RPC server.

Handel is the library used to deal with XIA devices and data. Handel comes with ProSpect software.

To access XIA device using the Handel library from BLISS runing on a linux station, a BLISS rpc server named bliss-handel-server must be running on the windows PC.

ProSpect is the windows software provided by XIA to control and calibrate XIA devices.

There are 2 versions of ProSpect:

  • ProSpect for Xmap and Mercury (merged with the deprecated xManager)
  • ProSpect for FalconX

Windows PC installation

Note

Windows version must be 7 or 10 pro 64 bits

To make your life easier using a remote windows computer, you can install cygwin and ssh on it: http://wikiserv.esrf.fr/bliss/index.php/Full_Cygwin_%2B_OpenSSH_installation_on_a_Windows_host

Installation of conda and BLISS

  • download a conda installer:
  • launch installer:
    • “for all users”
    • “use as default python”
  • Create a link from taskbar to anaconda shell
    • start / all program / anaconda3 / right click on anaconda shell / pin to taskbar
  • create bliss Conda environment with python 3.7 and git
    • Start anaconda shell
    • conda create -n bliss python=3.7 git pip
  • activate bliss environment: conda activate bliss
  • add channels: 
    conda config --env --add channels esrf-bcu
conda config --env --append channels conda-forge
conda config --env --append channels tango-controls
  • ensure some packages are installed:
    • conda install git
    • conda install pip

  • clone and install BLISS

    • git clone https://gitlab.esrf.fr/bliss/bliss bliss.git
    • cd bliss.git
    • remove pygraphviz from requirements-conda.txt
    • conda install --file requirements-conda.txt
    • python setup.py install

  • test bliss installation: 

    C:\ python
>>> import bliss
>>>

Installation of XIA software

  • Install auto-extractable package xia_bcu_deployment_0.1.exe taken here: ftp://ftp.esrf.fr/dist/bliss/xia/xia_bcu_deployment_0.1.exe

  • This bcu package provides Xia packages:

    • ProSpect for Falconx
      • version 1.1.24
    • ProSpect for Mercury and Xmap
      • version 1.1.12
    • Handel library for Mercury/Xmap devices
      • version 1.2.22 64 bits
    • Handel library for Falconx
      • version 1.1.20 64 bits

The packages are copied in C:\blissadm\xia_software\ directory

Note

Do not install ProSpect 1.1.26 because of drivers changes.

  • Depending on the XIA device:
    • install the corresponding ProSpect
    • test connection to the device with ProSpect

For the XMAP

PXI-PCI bus-coupler cards must be installed. see: http://wikiserv.esrf.fr/bliss/index.php/XIA_Electronics_Installation#XMAP_installation.2Fupgrade_on_windows_7_64_bits

For the FalconX

  • Connection to the falconX can be tested with a browser using address http://192.168.200.201
  • Check firware version (must be ??? 0.8.7 ???)

  • Install Handel libraries and make them accessible:

    • Xmap/mercury: extract handel-all-1.2.22-x64.zip file (right clic on it, 7-zip / extract here…)
    • Falconx: idem with handel-sitoro-fxn-1.1.20-x64.zip
    • move it in the blissadm directory: C:\blissadm\handel-all-1.2.22-x64

  • Create a batch script to start bliss-handel-server:

    • right clic “New / Text Document”
    • name it according to your device:
      • FalconX-server.txt
      • Xmap-server.txt
      • Mercury-server.txt
    • copy the following lines into the .txt file
    • change.txt into .bat

miniconda example script for Xmap/Mercury: 

set root=c:\programdata\miniconda3
set path=%path%;C:\blissadm\handel-all-1.2.22-x64\lib
call %root%\scripts\activate.bat bliss
bliss-handel-server.exe

miniconda example script for FalconX: 

set root=c:\programdata\miniconda3
set path=%path%;C:\blissadm\handel-sitoro-fxn-1.1.20-x64\lib
call %root%\scripts\activate.bat bliss
bliss-handel-server.exe

Developper’s details

bliss-handel-server start-up script is created at installation using the entry_points definitions in setup.py of BLISS repository.

entry_points={
     "console_scripts": [
          ...
          "bliss-handel-server = bliss.controllers.mca.handel.server:main",
          ] }

The wrapping of the Handel library is made with cffi. see: bliss/controllers/mca/handel/_cffi.py

Configuration in BLISS

Example for mercury: 

- name: mercury
  module: mca
  class: Mercury
  url: tcp://wfamexia:8000
  configuration_directory: C:\\blissadm\\mercury\\config\\BM16
  default_configuration: Vortex3_Mercury4ch_05us_Hg.ini

Example for FalconX: 

- name: fxid21
  module: mca
  class: FalconX
  url: tcp://wid214:8000
  configuration_directory: C:\\blissadm\\falconx\\config\\ID21
  default_configuration: falconxn.ini

Example for Xmap: 

- name: fxid16
  module: mca
  class: XMAP
  url: tcp://wid421:8000
  configuration_directory: C:\\blissadm\\falconx\\config\\ID42
  default_configuration: xmap.ini

NOTES:

Python script to parse binary mapping data: http://support.xia.com/default.asp?W882